CO129-505-12 Estimates of expenditure 1928 1-9-1927 - 12-1-1928 — Page 51

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School Fees.

The Government regrets that it does not feel able to forego the revenue to be derived from the small increase in the School fees. The increases were first suggested in 1926 and were referred by the Director of Education to the Board of Education for consideration. A Committee of the Board considered the matter and its report has been printed as a Sessional Paper and has been laid on the Table to-day for the information of Honourable Members. The Board of Education accepted the recommendations of the Committee and it is these pro- posals which have been adopted by

the Government.

There has been no general raising of school fees, and in particular there has been no increase in the fees for Vernacular Schools.

Nor have the fees for the five lower classes in King's and Queen's Colleges been raised.

The effect of the changes is to bring the fees of the Ellis Kadoorie, Wantsai and Yaumati Schools into line with the fees for the lower classes of King's and Queen's Colleges the education given being of a precisely similar character.

living in this Colony. The Gov- ernment will take note of and consider the Honourable Member's suggestion, but I fear that the in- crease in the cost of living is due to causes over which this Govern- ment has no control.

I regret I cannot agree with the Honourable Member's remarks on the subject of the proposed new post of an Accountant in the Supreme Court Registry. The Gov- ernment is fully satisfied as to the need for this appointment.

Reference was made to the Tai Po Bridge. The Government re grets the delay in the rebuilding of the damaged bridge, but the fact that this bridge had been damaged on no less than three oc- casions made it necessary to take exceptional care with the site and the design. The bridge now under which was made by the Engineers construction is the fourth design

and, as compared with the earlier designs will result in a consider- able saving of Public morey, and it is hoped thoroughly satisfactory bridge. The work is being pushed on with the utmost vigour, and it is expected that it will be finished carly in November next.

The Honourable Member's views as to the utilization of local and

Empire resources in the matter of launches, motor cars and other material are endorsed by the Gov- ernment and will be borne fully in mind.

Three other matters were referred to by the Honourable Member- Bathing Beaches, The Star Ferry approaches at Kowloon, and the Kowloon Tong Market. These are all matters which the Government views sympathetically; all of them came up for consideration with this year's Budget, and all were reluct antly omitted for want of funds.

Apart from this, the increases have been in the fees for the higher classes which are mostly attended by the children of parents well able to afford the higher fees. Increased fees for higher classes are already well known here and elsewhere and are justified by the increased cost of the education given. Provision has been made for deserving chil- dren of poor parents by an increase in the number of free scholarships. The Government would not have

No Fears For The Future. agreed to increase the fees had it not been satisfied that no serious It was not to be expected that hardship is involved. The demand the Government's proposals would for the more expensive classes at pass without criticism, but I am King's and Queen's Colleges great- most grateful to Honourable Mem- ly exceeds the accommodation bers for the very temperate criti- available and the increased fees are cism to which they have subjected still well below many of the fees the Budget proposals for the year paid at private and grant-in-aid 1928. The Budget had perforce to schools. The Government can safe- be shorn of all those large and at- ly promise sympathetic considera-tractive schemes which make boom- tion to the claims of the grant-in-time Budgets so pleasant and so aid schools, and the sums provided popular. We are still moving in show that that sympathy will have a very practical application.

Turning now to the remarks of the Honourable Member represent- ing the Justices of the Peace, I should like to express my agreement with his tribute of praise to our predecessors for handing down to us a practically unencumbered in- heritance, and he may rest assured that every care will be taken before embarking on new enterprises which might encumber the estate.

The Cost of Living,

The Honourable Member referred to the continually rising cost of

difficult times, but, relying on that co-operation which has in the past been given so freely and so spon- taneously by our unofficial col- leagues, the Government has no fears for the future and fully shares the very justifiable confidence ex- pressed by the spokesmen for the unofficial side of this Council. We are convinced that we can, without an undue increase of the bur- den of taxation, maintain the efficiency of our Administration, and at the same time make steady and solid if quiet and unspectacular progress.